GREETINGS
So my hope here is that others have experienced something similar and will be able to lend their thoughts on the topic. As always I really enjoy hearing the (often insightful) commentary of you folks.
To the issue! I have been working at a fairly steady pace (given schedule/personal obligations) on a very robust project. I have a massive amount of material completed as far as rules and even a great portion of the "physical" design of the game done. I eventually ran into an excellent resource for artwork and am now presented with a most interesting problem.
Now, I am a close student of logic and perfectly aware that "the most obvious answer is usually the correct one". Regardless of this logic I had hoped someone could offer me insight or resource to either ease my decision or offer a new path.
My product is based on a dystopian steam-punk theme. I love the theme and have (unfortunately) grown attached to it. Not only does the theme seem like a winner to me but some of the rule material has been slightly altered to better fit into said theme.
Unfortunately, all of the art resources I have available (more than enough to complete the project) are space themed. As in, pew pew, kill you with muh lazers, space. Now this isn't a problem as far as adaptation is concerned. I can write a new theme in absolutely no time, similarly, rules can be adapted. PERSONALLY I feel like the game won't have the same market impact with what I consider a "used" theme. This bring us full circle to my question.
Simple as it may sound: Should I consider just completing the project with available resources or "hold out" for some possibly non-existent "steam-punk" artwork. I should mention that the project could be finished in, literally, a few short months with current artwork. Waiting for artwork that does not yet exist means letting the game sit and collect dust until something presents (does that even happen?) itself.
I feel like I am betraying all of the hard work already done on the game by abandoning the old theme. If anyone is interested I could post the theme here, perhaps that would offer some insight into my conundrum.
Please, share, and thank you!
Well
@Horatio252
I appreciate your perspective on this and thank you for taking the time to read and address my post. Unfortunately I feel I have little choice in the matter. After consulting with a "brother" of mine, a very old and trusted ally, I expect the game will simply have to be released as is. He has been valuable, as he often is, by reminding me of yet unexplored possibilities. In light of this I will release a version of my work using a space theme. The Game Crafter should offer an acceptable platform for generating at least a small artistic fund.
To say that I feel dismayed, perhaps even a bit shorted by this choice is an understatement. But given my available options I feel it is the only viable choice available. I will accept the release of this project as a method of gaining funds in order to fulfill broader goals. I will however, not feel as though I have released the best possible product.
I am reminded of a short story I wrote and its life cycle; once passed through the hands of an editor. Seven pages of expressively written material cleaved down to a measly three after the editor was through. To say that the story was poorer for his editing would be an injustice to both the editor and the story itself. I can say, however, that it cut me deeply to so thoroughly unravel my own careful work in the name of page space. An unfortunate loss, but an acceptable casualty in the name of achieving higher goals.
E